Egypts Favourite The Historie of Joseph, divided into four parts: Together with old Israels Progresse into the Land of Goshen. By Francis Hubert |
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IOSEPH IN CARCERE.
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IOSEPH IN CARCERE.
OR, The Innocent Prisoner.
1
From hopes of Court, to horrors of a Iayle,From great respect, from friends, from wealth, from place,
Vnto a loathsome dungeon without Bayle;
A wofull fall: yet this was Iosephs case.
2
They which of late did crouch with cap and knee,And would haue done worse offices perhaps,
In his reproach are open now and free,
With bitter tongues discoursing his mishaps.
3
Now is he censur'd by the vulgar breath,For a most base, and most vnthankfull slaue,
For a perfidious villaine, worthy death,
And after death, vnworthy of a graue.
4
'Tis wretchednesse too much to be cast downe;What is it then to fall with infamie?
But he that is to any greatnesse growne,
Vpon a change must looke for obloquie.
5
Vnhappy Vertue cannot be secure,Scarce from the hands, not from the tongues assault,
Faire actions foule constructions must indure,
When our misfortunes shalbe thought our fault.
6
Nay Putipher himselfe is constru'd too,And pierc'd, perhaps, by the Plebeian wind,
In that he would so vndiscreetly doe,
As lay such trust vpon an vnknowne Hind.
7
Thou many-headed Monster that art bredOut of the vulgar mud, without all braine,
How easely is thy erring judgement led?
To passe a sudden sentence, idle, vaine,
8
Without all certaine ground, without all weight,Nay, without any scanning of the matter:
But thou art sway'd with a receiu'd conceit,
And thy light ayre soone turneth into water:
9
For rashly-heady, thou art easely borneNow vnto one, streight to another mind:
So haue I seene a field of eared Corne
Bending all South, blowne with a Southerne wind,
10
And let the same but shift into the North,Then stalkes and heads, and all doe bend that way:
And can that man be vvise, of reall vvorth,
That doth on such light puffes his fortunes lay?
11
But stay: Me thinkes my selfe forgets my course,And I begin to sayle without my Card,
Though emptie Caskes without all true discourse,
Are in their censures sudden, sowre and hard,
12
Yet hee that lookes with other eyes then men,And finds the heart vntainted with offence,
Binds whom we free, & frees whom vve condemne,
'Tis he alone that safe-gards innocence.
13
And oft he works beyond the reach of man,We cannot fathom him with our short lyne,
We may as well graspe Heau'n within our span,
As sound the depth of what he doth designe.
14
How could it be conceiu'd by mans discourse,That gives and fetters were the meanes to rise?
Yet all-commanding God doth take that course,
And Ioseph must be rays'd by enemies.
15
Me thinks I see him looking on his handsFast bound vvith chaines, vvhich vnto heau'n hee reares,
And are (sayes he) these heauy yron bands
The golden bracelets that poore vertue weares?
16
Had my too cruell brothers bin so chain'd,I had not then bin thus in prison pent,
Such manacles their furies had restrain'd,
And I had bin as free, as innocent.
17
Or had I with my Lady chang'd imbracesWhen in her armes she would haue clasp'd me fast,
I had not tasted then of these disgraces,
Which will (I feare) proue fatall at the last.
18
Vertue, I thought, had bin a reall thing,But now I find, that 'tis an ayrie name:
Hate did my brothers, lust my Lady sting,
Yet neither they nor shee feele smart or blame.
19
But I that onely a meere Patient was,And not an agent with them in their sinne;
'Tis I alone that vndergoe the lash,
And I must smart for what they faulted in.
20
Me thinks my crop should haue been like my seed,I planted Vertue, that sweet smelling Rose,
And can that root such stinging Nettles breed?
But there is vse of Nettles, so of foes.
21
Why was I called Ioseph? that's Increasing,And doe not I increase in misery?
My name was rightly giu'n, for without ceasing
My strange disasters daily multiply.
22
Yet Iob had been a fitter name for me:Iob, Sorrowfull, or hated, which you will:
For that sad name doth both wayes vvell agree
With those sad fortunes that pursue me still.
23
For am I not a man made vp of sorrow,Whose matter, and whose forme is vvretchednesse;
Vnhappy now, but shall be more to morrow,
My dayes are but additions to distresse.
24
That Sunne, that sees me breathing out my ill,Will shortly see me without any breath;
Malice and meanes, a vvoman and her vvill,
Lust and neglect; the very sounds of death.
25
And that will be the period of my paine,The short and sweet compendium of all vvoe:
Weake-hearted Ioseph, raise thy spirits againe,
Collect thy selfe, be not deiected so.
26
Oft hast thou heard thy father Jacob say,There was a Libra 'mongst the Signes of Heau'n,
Who alwayes did in equall Ballance weigh
The actes of men, and kept the Scales most eu'n.
27
And without doubt, when thou art truely weigh'd,Thou shalt goe current, though thou suffer now:
Heau'n must not be contested; but obey'd,
To whose iust ends all Mortals needs must bow.
28
And Ioseph, he that rays'd thee from the pit,Wheu thy enraged brothers play'd their part,
Can find both time and meanes, when he thinkes fit,
To free thee from this dungeon vvhere thou art.
29
But say hee doe not, why should wretched dustBe so much daring, as to question God?
Whose Councels oft are secret, euer iust:
If therefore still he please to vse the rod,
30
Bee it for me, I haue for my defenceArmour of Proofe, to beare all blowes withall,
A spotlesse and a peacefull Conscience,
And that is safer then a brazen wall.
31
And, Ioseph, though thy sufferings be most great,Yet thinke vpon the letters of thy name,
Which being inverted bring some comfort yet:
For (Hope Is) is Ioseph his Anagramme:
32
And there is Hope; nay, there's assurance rather,Where God is pleas'd to interpose his hand,
Who out of Poysons Antidotes doth gather,
As by the Storie heere wee vnderstand:
33
For in close prison where poore Ioseph lyes,Mew'd vp in bolts and chaines to death and shame,
Pursude by many dangerous enemies,
Th' abused agents of a lustfull Dame:
34
There, (eu'n vnlook'd for there) vpon a day.(And sure 'twas God that put it in his mind)
The Iaylor thought his Prison to survay,
Where many soules, and foule ones he doth find.
35
Some theft, some bloody murther did commit:Ioseph, thy name is callenderd for lust,
Which they tearm'd Rape; and (which did add to it)
Thy Ladies Rape, against thy Lords deare trust.
36
Whom when the Iaylor viewes, through his faire face,A fayrer soule and heart hee sees within,
(Inspir'd no doubt) hee finds the Iaylors grace,
Who did not onely quit him of the sinne,
37
But of the paine: From chaines he sets him free,And (which was strange) he giues to him the charge
Of all his fellow-prisners: so that hee
Was both a prisner, and was yet at large.
38
Ioseph the prison kept, God Ioseph keepes,And he finds fauour eu'n amongst the bad:
The Iaylor was secure, eates, drinkes, and sleepes,
And trusted this faire youth with all he had.
39
And all that Ioseph did, (and hee did all)Did prosper farre beyond all expectation:
Thus God can rayse, whom men would haue to fall,
And this was strange and worthy admiration.
40
But see more wonders yet: some few dayes past,Pharoes chiefe Butler fell into disgrace,
An! from the Court, was into Prison cast,
And that (wee see) is oft a Courtiers case.
41
What was his fault, I list not to define,Great Kings are men, and subiect vnto Ire,
Perhaps hee did not please his tast with wine,
Small faults doe oft add fewell to their fire.
42
Perhaps some other itch'd to haue his place,Which could not bee, till hee was first remou'd:
The fall of one is oft anothers grace:
Such trickes are play'd at Cardes, and well approu'd.
43
And this (for ought I know) might be his case,But the true Cause I find not in the Text,
But this I find: The Butler's in disgrace,
And in the Prison too, and much perplext.
44
But yet this somewhat qualifyde his griefe,My Lord the Baker is committed too,
And some good Natures hold it some releefe,
To haue their friends partakers of their woe.
45
Some fatall starre in Egypt rul'd this yeare,So many starrs of Court from their Orbes fell,
And yet no blazing Comet did appeare:
Which to great states doe dire euents fore-tell.
46
But now these Lords to Josephs care committed,Are entertayn'd by him with much respect:
Nothing that might content them was omitted,
Yet miserie meetes often with neglect.
47
Sweet Natures doe behold calamitie,With Eyes of pittie, not of churlish scorne,
'Tis base to triumph ouer misery,
To treade vpon a poore deiected worme.
48
Would'st thou behold the Picture of a slaue?This very Caracter shall speake him right,
Bee sure to find him insolentlie braue,
Against that man, whom fortune doth despight.
49
Hee is a fearefull Tyrant to affliction,A Phalaris vnto a sinking state:
Nor doth he weigh the causes of deiection,
'Tis fault enough to be vnfortunate.
50
Ioseph is better moulded: He doth wellAnd gently vse his charge (though in distresse)
Affliction's wayward, apt to fret and swell,
It need not to be gall'd with bitternesse.
51
I know not how these Lords did spend the day,But in one night they both fell on a Dreame:
Dreames are the daughters of the wine (some say)
But this was no such vapour, no such steame.
52
Ioseph (as was his vse) doth early wake,Sad Care, and quiet sleepe were euer foes,
A thinking soule doth heauie Eye-lids make,
For want of timely rest, and sweet repose.
53
His Charge, his Care was great, and soone he rises,And rising, finds his prisners much perplext;
To tell the cause, he gently them advises,
And fairely ask'd, what so their temper vext?
54
They answere freely: They had seene that nightA Vision, or a Dreame, they knew not whether,
And this the rather did them so affright,
Because what it should meane, they cannot gather.
55
But Ioseph then replies, Dreames are from God,(That God whom Ioseph serues) please you vnfold
The same, by me they may be vnderstood,
Which cannot be expounded, if not told.
56
Gladly they tell the Youth what they had seene,And first the Butler doth his Vision shew:
Me thought (quoth he) I saw a Vine all greene,
Put forth three stocks, and frō those stocks did grow
57
Leaues, branches, grapes, that were both ripe & faire;Into my hand (me thought) I tooke the cup,
And prest the grapes: The King was debonaire,
Receiu'd the liquour fairely, drunke it vp.
58
Ioseph replies: The Dreame is very good,And (noble Lord) this is th'interpretation:
By the three stockes three dayes are vnderstood,
That will restore thee to thy former station.
59
And when my Lord before the King shall stand,And giue him wine, as hee was wont to doe,
And hee shall take the Goblet from thy hand,
Remember Ioseph, Partner of thy woe.
60
And by thy noble selfe, I thee adiure,Who now canst tell what is a Pris'ners case,
Remember me to Pharaoh, and procure
My liberty, from this delightlesse place.
61
VVho am a stranger, and by force was brought,Out of my natiue Countrey to this land,
Sold by my brethren, and by Merchants bought,
And why kept here, I scarsely vnderstand.
62
Thus Ioseph thought it fit, to vse his friends,To compasse his deliuerance, if hee can:
Hee must vse meanes, that will attayne his Endes:
Good fortune hath forlworne a carelesse man.
63
VVee must not thinke, that wish'd felicitieVVill drop downe from the cloudes, like showers of raine
Our selues must watch all opportunitie,
Vse all Endeuour, if wee vvill attayne
64
VVhat vvee desire: Some say, that IupiterDoth sell his blessings: and the price wee pay,
Is our ovvne labour: and they much doe erre,
VVho thinke by standing still, to end their vvay.
65
But I goe on: vvhen Ioseph had fore-told,The Butler thus, It seemes the Diuination,
Did likevvise Please the Baker: vvho grevv bold,
To tell his Dreame, hoping like Explanation.
66
Mee thought (hee sayes) I boare vpon my head,Three Baskets, full of bak'd meates, and of bread,
And round about the vppermost there fled,
Birds of the Ayre, that from that basket fedde.
67
The Augure sayes: Three baskets three dayes bee,In fine vvhereof, prepare to loose thy head,
And thou shalt hanged bee vpon the Tree,
And vvith thy flesh, The Birds and Rauens bee fedd.
68
The houres spend quickly: and that very day,The third (I meane the Critick of the dreame)
VVas Pharaoh's birth day: (As the Text doth say)
VVherein hee feasts the Nobles of his Realme,
69
And to make good what was divin'd before,The King the Baker hangeth by command,
But did the Butler to his place restore,
Who gaue againe his Cup into his hand.
70
And this great Lord (so must I call him now)Regaining Honour, promises forgot,
And (as some Courtiers doe) neglects his vow,
Per Dures made: such vowes we know bind not.
71
Why should he take to heart anothers harme?He had no feeling how poore Ioseph far'd,
Himselfe (hee thanks his starres) was well & warme,
What others suffred, he nor felt, nor car'd.
72
Indeed we doate vpon our selues too much,And that divides vs from all due respect:
Nature (we see) doth often loose her touch;
Then 'tis not strange, that strangers should neglect
73
The loving service, and kind entertaineOf honest Ioseph, are forgotten quite;
Looke what he did, was but for hope of gaine,
And all he did, no more then was his right.
74
Vnthankfulnesse is euer apt to find,At least some colours wherewithall to paint:
Good turnes receiu'd vve giue vnto the wind,
And in requitall we are dull and faint.
75
Because it is no pleasing MeditationFor mounting men, that are to greatnesse growne,
Alwayes to thinke vpon their Obligation,
And what an answering kindnesse must be showne.
76
Two yeeres of dayes run on, and all this whileThe Butler (drunke with honour) soundly sleeps,
No care of Ioseph, and of his exile,
He dreames not, and his vow therefore not keepes.
77
And here my musing thoughts are at a stand,And I doe more then marvell, that so long
Poore Ioseph scap'd the knife; the bloody hand
Of his enraged Lord, vvhose thought of vvrong,
78
Of most vnworthy wrong (as he might deeme)Might whet him to the worst of punishment:
But graunt, that Time did coole his boyling spleene,
And that the malice of his madnesse spent
79
On it's owne matter, did extinguish so,As fierie meteors in the feeding Ayre,
The vapors being consum'd whence they did grow,
Cease of themselues: but that his Dames dispayre
80
Of euer now attayning her blacke ends,Arm'd with the furie of neglected loue,
Impatient with reuenge, which neuer lends
One thought of peace, but doth with madnes moue,
81
To bring his plotted Tragedie to act,And so to free her selfe from all her feares,
How she (I say) should so long time protract,
As not to worke his end within these yeeres,
82
Is more then my conceit can diue into.But (O) thou deepe vnfounded Providence,
We must admire what thou art pleas'd to doe,
And not survey thy workes by our vveake sense.
83
Thicke clouds and darknesse doe encompasse thee,And are about thy great Pauilion;
Wonder wee may, and must adorers bee
Of all thy workes: but we must let alone
84
All curious Queres, and all busie pryingInto those secrets which thou dost conceale:
We melt our wings, and fall, by too high flying;
Prometheus, that the fire from Heau'n did steale,
85
Was sharply punisht for his enterprise:That outward barke containes this pith within,
We must not labour to be ouer-wise;
To prie into Gods Arke, it is a sinne.
86
We know 'twas he that calm'd these billowing seas,And brought wrackt Ioseph to his hau'n at last,
Else had hee sunke vnder such stormes as these,
But that Gods hand (his Anchor) held him fast.
87
And now th'eternall and still-waking Eye,(That is all Eye to see, to helpe all Hand)
Lookes downe at last on Iosephs miserie,
And finds him by affliction fully fann'd,
88
And streight he stirres: and now all other meanes,(All hopefull meanes) doe seeme to fayle him quite,
Now hee (in mercy pitying his extreames)
Doth rouse himselfe, to doe wrong'd Ioseph right.
89
O happie men that are in Gods protection,No earthly Monarch hath a guard so sure:
Legions of Angels serue at his direction,
To fortresse those, whom he will haue secure.
90
All the whole Creature is at his command,The Sunne stands still to wayt on Ioshua,
The Starres of Heau'n (enrolled in his band)
Doe in their courses fight 'gainst Sisera.
91
Nay, fire and vvater too are ioy'nd in one,Both starres and streames doe their best helpe afford,
The riuer Kishon vnto armes doth runne,
To fight the glorious battels of the Lord.
92
The Elements are Marshals of his hoste,By night the fiery Pillar, and by day
The Cloud conducts his people to their coast,
To which the very Sea it selfe giues way.
93
The Vict'lere of his Campe he makes the Winds,Somtimes with bread from Heau'n, sometimes with Quailes;
The stony rocke plenty of water finds,
To giue his Souldiers drinke when water failes.
94
O euer to be fear'd, and lou'd withall,(Fear'd for thy might, and for thy mercy lou'd)
I am all wonder, when to mind I call,
With what strange weights thy motions still are mou'd.
95
Ioseph must be releast: that's the Decree,And from the Prison to the Court be brought,
That's in the Order too: And now let's see
How God doth worke, till all his will be wrought:
96
First vnto Pharaoh (Egypts King) he sendsA double Dreame, with which hee's much perplext:
He wakes, and longs to know what it portends;
(What the Dreames were, I leaue you to the Text)
97
Then doth he send, and summon to the CourtAll Egypts Magi, to expound his Dreames:
They heare them told, but cannot make report
Vnto the King, what this his Vision meanes,
98
And that was strange: Th'Egyptians were renowndAboue all Nations, for their skill that way,
In hidden Learning they were held profound,
And so the sacred Text doth seeme to say.
99
Witnesse beside the skill they labour'd so,In that abstruse and secret Mysterie
Of Hieroglyphicke Art, which they did shew
In an obscure deepe-shadow'd Charactrie.
100
But yet in this the Magi must be blind,Because the taske for Ioseph was reseru'd;
And now the Butler wakes, and cals to mind
Forgotten Ioseph, vvhom he thus preferr'd:
101
Great King, I must confesse my fault this day,And craue your pardon: I haue broke a vow
Which once I made (when I in prison lay)
Vnto an Hebrew, and remember now:
102
When as my Lord was vvith his servants vvroth,And put his Baker, and my selfe in chaines,
A vision in one night appear'd to both,
And there this Hebrew pris'ner it explaines.
103
And as he did divine, it did succeed,You hang'd your Baker, tooke me to your grace,
Th'inspired Prophet can your Dreame aread.
Make haste (quoth Pharaoh) let me see his face.
104
And now is Ioseph sent for to the Court,And (new adorn'd) doth looke as fresh as May,
And well he might doe so, there's reason for't:
Good fortunes breed good blood, good spirits (men say.)
105
Being come, the King doth take him by the hand,(Eu'n Kings know to be kind, to gaine their ends)
Although no phrase did fit him but command,
Yet he vnto a milder forme descends,
106
And (welcome) sayes: I had a Dreame this night,And what is meant thereby I faine would learne;
And thou in Visions hast (I heare) insight,
Thy piercing eye heau'ns secrets doth discerne.
107
And then hee tels him, what before he toldTo Egypts Magi. Ioseph streight replies:
Your double dreame one meaning doth infold,
And that God will not hide from Pharaohs eyes.
108
In me it is not; but the God of Heau'nShall answere Pharaoh to his hearts desire.
Poore puffe-past Man, here is example giu'n
Vnto thy swelling thoughts, not to aspire.
109
Not to assume the glory and the praiseVnto thy selfe, of what is giu'n to thee:
Thy parts are but reflections from those Rayes,
By whose faire beames thy clouds dispersed be.
110
Cymerian darknesse doth possesse thy spirit;If gracious God be pleas'd to lend thee light,
Wilt thou ascribe it to thy proper merit?
And steale from him that which is his in right?
111
Wilt thou vnto thy Netts doe sacrifice?And hug thy selfe in th'armes of thine owne loue?
If thou beest noble, learned rich, and wise,
Know, 'tis the highest sphere that makes thee moue.
112
Thy graces are but Donatiues from Heau'n,The good is thine, returne the glory thither,
For feare God take away what he hath giu'n,
And he that made thee grow doth make thee wither
113
What, is not this great Babel I haue builtTo shew my power, perpetuate my name?
Alas (poore Prince) thy outside is but guilt,
A sudden storme will wash away the same.
114
For whilst the word was yet eu'n in thy mouth,A voyce from Heau'n did tell thee heauy newes,
Promotion comes not from the North or South,
Heau'ns influence onely doth all good infuse.
115
I could not choose when I had yoak'd my Teame,But make this furrow to enrich my field,
And now I doe returne to Pharaohs Dreame,
Whose Exposition Ioseph thus doth yeeld:
116
The seu'n fat Oxen that you saw ascend,That were so faire to sight in your first dreame,
Seu'n yeeres of ioyfull plentie doe portend,
Seu'n yeeres of famine the seu'n leane ones meane.
117
The Eares of Corne divine the selfe same thing:But God is good, and what he meanes to doe,
He now is pleas'd to shew vnto the King,
And giue him warning ere it shall ensue.
118
After seu'n yeeres of store, seu'n yeeres of want,Of bitter famine shall the land oppresse,
Wherein both bread and food shall be so scant,
As all the land shall mourne for barrennesse.
119
Twice did my God present it to your view,Because he would haue Pharaoh marke it well:
When God speaks one thing twice, beleeue 'tis true;
Make vse (great King) of what I doe foretell.
120
Cull out some man that's provident and wise,And let him be Surveyor of your Land,
Let him collect the fruits that shall arise
From forth the first seu'n yeeres of plentie, and
121
Let every Towne and Citie Garners build,Where they may safely lay vp corne and graine;
And when those Garners are so stor'd and fild,
Take care (O King) it be not spent in vaine.
122
The King was glad to heare the Divination,And his great servants were as glad as hee:
What man so fit as thou in all the Nation,
(The King replies) in whom heau'ns graces be?
123
Be it as thou hast sayd: Thy selfe aloneShall be the Regent of my Land and State.
Onely my selfe will sit vpon the Throne,
And next my selfe I thee subordinate.
124
With that he takes the Signet from his hand,And therewith Iosephs finger doth invest;
A golden chaine (the Ensigne of command)
Puts on his Necke: clads him in linnen vest.
125
And on his second Charret makes him ride,Whil'st through the Court the Trumpets sound his name,
By officers, who were therein imployd,
Who seem'd most forward to performe the same.
126
Because that Ioseph now is in his spring,But if a Winter should but chance to come,
Those Nightingales that now so sweetly sing,
I doubt, would chaunge their notes, or els be dumbe.
127
Nay (which is worse) they would like Adders bee,And hisse and bite: Greatnesse trust not too much,
Vnto a smiling brow, a Cringing knee,
A soothing tongue: they'l scarse abide the touch,
128
When they are truely brought vnto the Test:Momus did find an errour in Ioues Art,
Because he made no windowes in mans breast,
By which he might both see and know his heart.
129
Well Ioseph now is mounted very high,And God hath rays'd him to a loftie Pitch,
Whose Agent Pharoah still doth multiply:
His fauours to him: Hee growes great and rich.
130
The eyes of Kings are more then common eyes,They are the starres that doe predominate,
Th'affayres of men, and in their influence lyes,
The good or badd of euery ones estate.
131
They are the Primum Mobile of all,They whirle about our fortunes, as they list:
Their motions make Inferiours rise or fall:
And as they fauour, wee are curst or blest.
132
Though Poets fictions seeme to sauour muchOf Idle Errours, yet they haue their sence:
King Midas turn'd to gold all hee did touch,
The morall is: the fauour of the Prince.
133
This gracious hand can worke the like effect,Not India's richest mines breede purer gold,
Then those fayre Rayes of comfort that reflect,
From th'eyes of Kings: there growes that precious mold.
134
Whose smooth and smiling brow is the true place,Of honour, wealth, respect, dependencie,
And in his frowning Fore-head dwels disgrace,
Common contempt, hate, wrong, and pouertie.
135
And it is fitting, that it should bee so,All Light must bee deriued from the Sunne,
And as all Riuers from the Sea first flowe,
So they againe into the Sea must runne.
136
Pharoah still studies to doe Ioseph good,And (to compleate the pleasures of his life)
Fayre Asenath, of grace and Princely blood,
A beautious Virgine, must bee Iosephs wife.
137
Asenath, Daughter of the Prince of On:Thus for his seruants gracious God prouides,
Who after troubles and affliction,
Fils vp their ioyes: as rivers the Spring-tides.
138
Now you haue seene a true particularOf Iosephs fortunes, weigh them at a Beame,
His sowre, his sweet, his losse, his gaine conferre,
'Twill be a vsefull and delightfull Theame.
139
Ioseph remou'd from Canaans fruitfull Soyle,Planted in Egypt, with great growth is blest;
In vulgar Phrase this may be cal'd Exile,
But that's a mans best countrey where hee's best.
140
In Canaan Ioseph in a Pit I find,Here I doe see him next the Regall Throne,
There hee hath many brothers, but vnkind:
Here many fauours are by strangers showne.
141
But hee's diuided from a Fathers sight,To whom hee was as deare, as his owne Eyes:
In liew whereof a monarch of great might,
Eu'n Pharoahs loue old Iacobs losse supplyes.
142
And yet hee is not lost: Hee shall bee met,With a more tender touch of true delight:
So broken bones proue stronger, being well set,
And darkest grounds make white to seeme more white.
143
The Ishmalites did sell him for a slaue,But (loe) hee's rays'd to bee a power-full Lord:
The Prison, (that at least was ment his graue)
The meanes of his aduancement doth afford.
144
His first disaster did arise from dreames,And dreames must cure the woundes that dreames did make
Friends oft do faile their friends in their extreames,
But God his seruants neuer doth forsake.
145
Twas hee that made this Metamorphosis,And marke how all his workes are fitted right:
The Prison to a Pallace changed is,
The yron grates to Prospects of delight.
146
His Alchymy did turne the gyues hee wore,(The yron gyues) Into a golden chayne,
With course and common cates hee fedde before,
Now Sea and Land both giue him entertayne.
147
Without all doubt Ioseph did often beare,The bitter burden of offensiue scorne:
Now ( Abrech, Abrech) sounds in euery eare,
Whil'st in his Charet hee's in Triumph borne.
148
The loathsome Sauours change to sweet perfumes,The Prison garment to a Robe of Price,
The groanes of wretched Soules to cheerefull tunes,
All hell indeed is turn'd to Paradice.
149
And for th'imbraces of an vnchaste Dame,(Whose softest touch is but an Aspicks sting,
Whose fayrest lookes doe breed a hellish flame,
Whose sweetest breath a deadly dampe doth bring)
150
Ioseph enioyes the pure and heauenly heatOf both a lawfull and delightfull bed,
Whose vertuous pleasures onely are compleat,
From whence there is nor shame, nor sorrow bred.
151
Well, then I see the Prouerbe holdeth true,Bees make not hony onely for the bad,
Triumphant Vertue shall attaine his due,
Whose acts endswel, though the first sceanes be sad.
152
Where sinne seemes Suger to vs at first tast,Which oft we swallow down with deepe delight,
But still it ends in bitternesse at last,
And proues to bee a deadly Aconite.
153
Well, Ioseph is at rest with his faire Phere,And that (my weary Muse) is fit for thee.
For this time (loe) I pitch my Pillers here,
And (Ne plus vltra) shall my Posie bee.
Timens Deum, non habet quod timeat vlterius.
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